Paint applying instrument with release latch

ABSTRACT

A pad-type painting applicator of the type having a handle and a replaceable applicating pad, characterized by the provision of a movable latch member on the handle for releasably retaining the applicator pad on the handle portion.

United States Patent Inventors Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Giacinto C. D'Ercoli Park Forest, 111.;

Albert A. Mlachnik, Milwaukee, Wis. 19,956

Mar. 16, 1970 Aug. 17, 1971 E Z Painter Corporation PAINT APPLYING INSTRUMENT WITH RELEASE LATCH 16 Claims, 3 Drawing Fig.

US. Cl 15/210 R, 15/144, 15/176, 306/20 Int. Cl A46b 5/00, 825g 3/18, 825g 3/38 [50] Field of Search lS/l44 R, 144 A, 145, 176, 209, 210 R, 229 B, 229 BD; 306/2, 3,18, 20, 28

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,683,530 9/1928 Cosby 15/176 2,228,754 l/194l Cosby 15/176 3,473,183 10/1969 Burns eta] 15/144 R Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Atiorney-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman and McCord ABSTRACT: A pad-type painting applicator of the type having a handle and a replaceable applicating pad, characterized by the provision of a movable latch member on the handle for releasably retaining the applicator pad on the handle portion.

PAINT APPLYING INSTRUMENT WITH RELEASE LATCH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to pad-type paint applicators, and more, particularly, to an improvement in the means for retaining the replaceable pad thereon.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Paint applicators of the type having a pivoted handle portion and a replaceable pad connected thereto have become increasingly popular in the art. Typical of such structures is that disclosed in the Burns et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,183, entitled Paint Applying Tool," issued Oct. 21, 1969. Some improvements have been made in the way of a means for guiding the same such as shown in the copending Burns application Ser. No. 782,974, entitled Paint Applicator With Guide Means."

Generally speaking, in the applicators referred to above, the replaceable pad is removably connected to the base of the handle portion by means of rear and forward flanges of the pad which grip small protruding lip or flange portions of the handle. The rear lip of the handle has a rearwardly protruding tongue which projects through an opening in the pad flange.

In removing the pad from the handle base, one of the pad flanges must be sprung outwardly to overcome the lip and tongue retention. Some users have experienced some difficulty accomplishing this maneuver and have found this to be hard on the users fingers and somewhat messy when the applicator pad is being removed after painting for the purposes of either cleaning or disposing of the pad. In addition, during use in painting, some conditions may arise when the pull of the paint applied to a surface tends to cause the pad'to pull away from its base portion.

Accordingly a need and desire has arisen in the art to provide an improvement in the means for retaining and releasing the connection of the replaceable pad to the base portion of the handle structure of such paint applying tools. It is to the satisfaction of this need and desire that the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to the provision of an improved general purpose paint applicating tool having releasable latch means for retaining the replaceable applicator pad on the underside of the handle portion thereof.

The best mode currently contemplated by me for carrying out this invention includes the provision of an applicator of the type having a handle portion including a handle pivoted to a base, with an applicating pad removably secured to the base similar to that disclosed and claimed in Burns et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,l83 and in the copending application of Burns et al. entitled Paint Applicator With Guide Means," filed Dec. l l, 1968.

The base of the handle portion is provided with forwardly and rearwardly projecting lips and the pad is provided with a returned U-shaped flange at the rear which grips the rear lip of the base, and an inwardly then outwardly returned flange at the front which grips the front lip of the base of the handle. For removal and replacement of this pad, the front flange is sprung outwardly from the front lip to disengage the pad, and in assembly the outwardly returned portion of the flange cams over the lip to permit the inwardly returned portion to grip the lip.

In the improvement of this invention, it is envisioned that the rear lip of the base of the handle may be substantially limited and the rear flange of the pad held by a depressible rearwardly extending latch or projection which extends through an opening in the rear pad flange. When the latch is depressed inwardly, it permits the rear of the pad to swing freely downwardly from the base of the handle affording easy removal of the forward portion of the pad from the front lip. It is further envisioned that the latch arrangement could be utilized for assembly by relatively lateral movement of the components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through a paint applicator assembly showing the improvement of this invention with portions of the guide rollers of the applicator assembly removed for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the lines 2 2 of FIG. 1 and showing guide rollers utilized with the applicator assembly; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of the central portion of the rear edge of the paint applicator assembly of this invention illustrating the latch means in greater detail.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the applicator assembly 10 of this invention includes a handle portion, generally indicated 12, and a releasably connected applicator element, generally indicated 14. Generally speaking, the applicator element is trapezoidal in plan having substantially parallel front and rear edges 14a and 14b and nonparallel, rearwardly converging side edges 14c and 14d.

The applicator element 14 includes a backing member 16 made of a suitably rigid material, such as metal or the like, and having a front S-shaped flange 16a, affording a first inwardly and second outwardly returned flange surface, and a rear C- shaped flange 16b. A compressible intermediate member 18, preferably of a spongelike substance, is connected to backing member 16. A paint carrying or transfer member 20 including a plurality of short, erect fibers, such as mohair or the like, is connected to the lower surface of intermediate member 18.

Preferably the handle member 12 is composed of two parts, such as a base 22 and a gripping member 24. Base 22 includes a front flange 26 and rear flange 28 and releasable latching member 29 comprising the improvement of this invention. Front and rear flanges 26 and 28, are generally of a size and shape to be nestably received within the flanges 16a and 16b of the backing member 16. Thus, base 22 defines a male member cooperating with a female member defined by ap plicator element 14 to releasably mount the applicator element with respect to handle member portion 12.

The base includes an upraised portion or platform 30 with depending sidewalls 32 and 34, and depending front and rear walls 33 and 35. A pair of spaced uprights 36 and 38 extend upwardly from the medial portion of the platform 30 on either side of the gripping member 24 which is pivoted therebetween by means of pin 39. A medial opening 40 in the platform 30 between uprights 36 and 38 permits the swinging movement of the gripping member 24 about pin 39. A spring 42 is biased between the interior of gripping member 24 and impaled on a tongue 44 formed on the underside of the rear of platform 30 and at its opposite end is secured about button 45 on the interior of gripping member 24 to normally urge the gripping member to the position shown in FIG. 1.

Sidewalls 32 and 34 of base 22 are provided with forwardly to rearwardly extending slots 46 and 48. A pair of guide rollers 50 and 52 are mounted for rotation to the underside of platform 30 with portions of the periphery of the rollers extending outwardly through the slots 46 and 48, respectively.

The release latch 29 extends through a rearwardly opening slot 54in the rear edge or rear depending wall 35 of base 22 of handle portion 12. The latch is generally rectangular in plan and includes a central opening 56. The forward face 58 of the latch is provided with an opening 60 in the top thereof, through which tongue 44 extends. Spring 42 is biased against the forward face 58 and upwardly projecting inner retaining tongue 62 which abuts the interior of platform portion 30 in the area of opening 40 to hold the release latch 29 in the interior of the base 22 in opposition to spring 42 and about tongue 44.

The release latch 29 has a generally flat top surface 64 and substantially flat bottom surface 66. These surfaces are spaced apart a distance generally corresponding to the interior dimension between the underside of platform portion 30 and the top of the backing member 16 such that surfaces 64 and 66 are in facial sliding engagement therewith. The rear face 68 of latch 29 includes an upwardly projecting finger 70 providing a surface for the application of thumb pressure or the like to depress the latch, or push it inwardly towards the interior of base 22. Rear surface 68 of latch 29 also includes a replacement pad or backing member locking portion, on rearwardly extending tongue 72 constituting a continuation of bottom surface 66. Tongue 70 will project through medial opening 74 in rear flange 16b of backing member 16 when backing member 16 is assembled on the handle.

Preferably, the distance between the outside of flanges 26 and 28 is slightly less than the distance between the inner surfaces of the flanges 16a and 16b of the backing member. Thus, when release latch 29 is depressed, until portion 70 abuts the rear edge of platform 30 so that tongue 72 is retracted inwardly of the opening 74 in flange 16b, only slight manipulation of the forward flange 16a is necessary in order to remove the applicator 14 from the base 22 of handle portion 12. Thus, with the improvement of this invention, removal or replacement of the applicator pad 14 is made much more facile. The manipulative steps involved are such as to minimize, if not eliminate, the need for grasping the pad in the area of the paint applying surface thereby eliminating the likelihood of transferring paint to the hand of the user during such time as replacement and/or removal of the pad is being attempted.

Another with the latch construction of this invention is that applicator pads and handle assemblies such as shown in the aforementioned Burns application Ser. No. 782,974 and US. Pat. No. 3,473,183 utilize paint applying pads 14 with an opening such as the opening 74 shown herein. Thus, no alteration in the structure replacement pads 14 is necessary to accommodate the improvement of this invention. In addition, such structures utilize a spring 42 and the depending tongue 44 about which the spring is impaled for biasing swinging movement of gripping member 24. By incorporating this structure as a guide for the release latch as well as the biasing means therefor, no substantial alteration in the basic structure of the application is necessary.

It is to be understood that the latch arrangement of this invention could also be utilized to secure a pad to a base where assembly is accomplished by relatively lateral movement between the two components.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. In a paint applying tool of the type having a base including from, rear, and top walls with a gripping member movably connected to the base and spring means in the base extending between a first spring seat on the gripping member and a second spring seat on the base, the improvement which comprises: a latching member movably mounted in the base in biased opposition to said spring means, the latching member having a replacement pad locking portion protruding outwardly from the rear thereof and being movable between a normal locking position and a release position wherein the locking portion is in a position for retraction inwardly relative to the base.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the latching member is normally biased in opposition to the spring means in the locking position projecting outwardly from the base.

3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the base has an open bottom and the locking portion projects outwardly from the base adjacent to the open bottom.

4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein the base includes an outwardly extending flange adjacent the open bottom with the locking portion projecting through the flange.

5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein the latching member is slidably mounted in the base for to and fro movement between said locking and release positions.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein the latching member is slidably mounted about the second spring seat in the base.

7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein the latching member includes an upwardly projecting inner tongue in the interior of the base which normally abuts the top thereof to hold the latching member in the base in opposition to the spring means.

8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein the latching member includes an outer upwardly projecting finger which limits the retraction of the latching member inwardly of the base.

9. In a paint applying tool of the type having a base including front, rear, and top walls with a gripping member movably connected to the base and spring means in the base extending between a first spring seat on the gripping member and a second spring seat on the base, in combination with a paint applicating and transfer pad having front and rear connecting portions for connection to the front and rear walls of the base with an opening in the rear connection portion, the improvement which comprises: a latching member movably mounted in the base in biased opposition to said spring means, the latching member having a replacement pad locking portion protruding outwardly from the rear wall thereof and being movable between a normal locking position and a release position wherein the locking portion is in a position for retraction inwardly relative to the base.

10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein the latching member is normally biased in opposition to the spring means in the locking position projecting outwardly from the base.

11. The improvement of claim 9 wherein the base has an open bottom and the locking portion projects outwardly from the base adjacent to the open bottom.

12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein the base includes an outwardly extending flange adjacent the open bottom with the locking portion projecting through the flange.

13. The improvement of claim 12 wherein the latching member is slidably mounted in the base for to and fro movement between said locking and release positions.

14. The improvement of claim 13 wherein the latching member is slidably mounted about the second spring seat in the base.

15. The improvement of claim 14 wherein the latching member includes an upwardly projecting inner tongue in the interior of the base which normally abuts the top thereof to hold the latching member in the base in opposition to the spring means.

16. The improvement of claim 15 wherein the latching member includes an outer upwardly projecting finger which limits the retraction of the latching member inwardly of the base.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 599,265 Dated August 17, 1971 Inventor(s) Giacinto C D Ercoli It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, Line 39, after "another" insert advantage.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of June 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JH. ROBERT GOTI'SCHALK Attssting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-IO5O [10-69) USCOMM DC 5376 Pe9 U 5 GOVERNMENT PRNTING OFFICE I969 0-365-331 

1. In a paint applying tool of the type having a base including front, rear, and top walls with a gripping member movably connected to the base and spring means in the base extending between a first spring seat on the gripping member and a second spring seat on the base, the improvement which comprises: a latching member movably mounted in the base in biased opposition to said spring means, the latching member having a replacement pad locking portion protruding outwardly from the rear thereof and being movable between a normal locking position and a release position wherein the locking portion is in a position for retraction inwardly relative to the base.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the latching member is normally biased in opposition to the spring means in the locking position projecting outwardly from the base.
 3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the base has an open bottom and the locking portion projects outwardly from the base adjacent to the open bottom.
 4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein the base includes an outwardly extending flange adjacent the open bottom with the locking portion projecting through the flange.
 5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein the latching member is slidably mounted in the base for to and fro movement between said locking and release positions.
 6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein the latching member is slidably mounted about the second spring seat in the base.
 7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein the latching member includes an upwardly projecting inner tongue in the interior of the base which normally abuts the top thereof to hold the latching member in the base in opposition to the spring means.
 8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein the latching member includes an outer upwardly projecting finger which limits the retraction of the latching member inwardly of the base.
 9. In a paint applying tool of the type having a base including front, rear, and top walls with a gripping member movably connected to the base and spring means in the base extending between a first spring seat on the gripping member and a second spring seat on the base, in combination with a paint applicating and transfer pad having front and rear connecting portions for connection to the front and rear walls of the base with an opening in the rear connection portion, the improvement which comprises: a latching member movably mounted in the base in biased opposition to said spring means, the latching member having a replacement pad locking portion protruding outwardly from the rear wall thereof and being movable between a normal locking position and a release position wherein the locking portion is in a position for retraction inwardly relative to the base.
 10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein the latching member is normally biased in opposition to the spring means in the locking position projecting outwardly from the base.
 11. The improvement of claim 9 wherein the base has an open bottom and the locking portion projects outwardly from the base adjacent to the open bottom.
 12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein the base includes an outwardly extending flange adjacent the open bottom with the locking portion projecting through the flange.
 13. The improvement of claim 12 wherein the latching member is slidably mounted in the base for to and fro movement between said locking and release positions.
 14. The improvement of claim 13 wherein the latching member is slidably mounted about the second spring seat in the base.
 15. The improvement of claim 14 wherein the latching member includes an upwardly projecting inner tongue in the interior of the base which normally abuts the top thereof to hold the latching member in the base in opposition to the spring means.
 16. The improvement of claim 15 wherein the lAtching member includes an outer upwardly projecting finger which limits the retraction of the latching member inwardly of the base. 